Self-locking connector



APTi1 1959 H. J. MODREY 2,882,579

SELF-LOCKING CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 11, 1957 v IN V EN TOR.

FIG, 4 BY HENRY J. MODREY ATTORNEYS SELF-LOCKING CONNECTOR Henry J. Modrey, Stamford, Conn, assignor to Interlock lC orporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New ersey Application October 11, 1957, Serial No. 689,621

8 Claims. (Cl, 24-211) The present invention relates to self-locking mechanical connectors or fasteners having a coupler and a receiver, and more particularly to connectors of the kind known under the trademark or trade name of Interlock connectors.

In certain designs of connectors of the general kind above referred to, the coupler comprises a clamping rod having at one end a one-sidedly overhanging clamping head and a locking slide which is disposed alongside the clamping rod on the side opposite to the overhang of the head. The rod and the slide are both slidably guided in a housing which constitutes also the release member of the connector. A spring or other yieldable means disposed in the housing biases the slide toward the clamping head, a wall of the housing limiting such forward movement of the slide to a fixed position relative to the clamping head. The receiver of the connector comprises a receiver opening having a peripheral outline such that it fits the peripheral outline of the clamping head and also the combined peripheral outline of the slide and the clamping rod just below the clamping head.

To lock the coupler to the receiver, the clamping rod is gripped and the head is pushed through the receiver opening by applying an axial pressure to the rod in the appropriate direction. While the head is passing through the receiver opening and until it occupies an off-set position relative to the opening after completely passing the same, the slide cannot enter but is pushed back into the housing against the action of the spring. As soon as the head has reached its off-set position, the slide snaps forward into the receiver opening and the coupler is locked. To release the coupler, the housing is gripped and pulled back carrying with it the slide whereby space becomes available in the receiver opening to withdraw the clamping head therefrom.

For certain fields of application, such as panel mountings and swinging doors, hatch covers, etc., it is desirable and convenient to lock the panel, door, etc., to the respective support by simply pressing the panel or door against the support. Connector designs of the general kind above referred to are not suitable or at least inconvenient for locking two members to each other by simply pressing the same together. As pointed out before, the locking mechanism of the heretofore known connector designs requires that for purposes of locking the connector, the coupler itself is operated and more specifically the clamping rod is gripped and the head is pressed into the receiver. This is especially inconvenient when, as is frequently the case, several connector assemblies are required for locking the two members together.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved connector coupler design of the general kind above referred to, which when mounted on a movable part such as a panel or swinging door permits locking of such part to its counterpart by simply pressing the movable part against its counterpart.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved connector design, the coacting components 2,882,579 Patented Apr. 21, 1959 of which become automatically locked when the parts on which they are mounted are forced against each other with a reasonable degree of force, that is, without the necessity of gripping and directly operating the coupler as is required with designs as heretofore known.

The aforementioned objects and other objects, features and advantages of the invention which will be pointed out hereinafter, are attained by a novel coupler design in which the principle of the above described locking mechanism is retained, but in which in contradistinction to the heretofore known designs the clamping rod is not slidable within the housing but fixedly mounted thereon or integral therewith. The housing in turn is no longer the release member, but is fixedly secured to the movable part to be locked to its counterpart. As a result the clamping rod becomes functionally a component of the part to be fastened.

The slide as is now customary, is mounted slidable in the housing. However, it is not withdrawn by means of and jointly with the housing relative to the clamping rod and the clamping head but ends in a terminal or release member by means of which the slide can be withdrawn relative to the now stationary housing and clamping rod for the purpose of releasing the connector and with it the parts secured to each other by the connector.

With the connector design according to the invention, the clamping head will automatically enter the receiver opening When the two parts are pressed against each other, and the slide is equally automatically pushed back until the clamping head has passed through the receiver opening thereby making space available for the forward move ment of the slide into the receiver opening which completes the locking action.

As is evident, several connectors may be simultaneously and automatically locked in the above described manner and as is also evident the couplers of the connectors may be mounted on either one of the parts to be secured to each other.

Another object of the invention, allied to the preceding objects, is a novel and improved connector assembly which permits fastening of a movable part to another part under conditions at which it is desirable that the mounting of the coupler on the movable part does not entail the necessity of mounting holes or cuts in the movable part. Such conditions exist for instance in connection with the fastening of a fuel cell or bladder to the support frame of an aircraft. Obviously any mounting opening in the cell or bladder-represents a serious sealing problem.

The coupler assembly according to the invention readily lends itself to the mounting of the coupler on the cell or bladder without destroying the integrity of the cell or bladder wall by attaching the coupler housing to the outside of the wall and providing the receiver opening in the support frame. To secure the coupler to the support frame, all that is necessary is to exert pressure upon the housing through the respective wall portion from the inside of the cell or bladder. The coupler is released by gripping the terminal member of the slide through the cell or bladder wall portion covering theterminal member, squeezing this portion against the terminal member and then withdrawing the slide. The interior of a cell or bladder is readily accessible for the purpose aforesaid through the customary filling neck or opening.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing, several preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustra- Fig. 2 is an isometric view of an assembly in which several connectors according to the invention are utilized to lock a panel to a frame.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the panel and the couplers.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a swinging door than can be locked to a stationary frame by means.

of one or several connectors according to the invention. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an assembly in which a connector according to the invention is utilized to attach a fuel cell to a support frame, the coupler being shown in an intermediate stage of the locking operation.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the completed locking operation, and,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Figs. 5 and 6, but showing an intermediate stage of the release operation. Referring first to Fig. 1 in detail, this figure shows a coupler which comprises a clamping rod 10 ending on one end in a clamping head 11 one-sidedly overhanging the clamping rod and a locking slide disposed alongside the clamping rod on the side of the rod opposite to the one on which the head overhangs the rod. The locking slide is extended by a stem 13 ending in a grip or terminal member 14. The slide proper is shown to be set olf relative to stem 13 and a disk or flange is provided at the junction between the stem and the slide proper. Parts 12, 13, 14 and 15 which constitute the slide assembly, may be made of one piece or fixedly secured to each other.

The clamping rod and the slide are disposed in a housing generally designated by 15. The housing is a twopart housing formed by housing parts 16 and 17. Housing part 16 is shown as a deep cup and housing part 17 as a shallow cup. Each housing part is laterally extended at its open end to form flanges 16' and 17' the rim of flange 16 being turned over flange 17" to secure the two housing parts to each other. The slide assembly is disposed slidable within the housing, the slide 12 proper extending through an opening 18 of the housing through which also extend the clamping rod and the clamping head. Terminal members 13, 14 extend through an opening 19 in housing part 16. A tensioned coil spring 20 encircling slide stem 13 and abutting at one end against the bottom of housing part 16 and at the other end against a disk 21 urges slide 12 toward the clamping head.

In contrast to the slidable mounting of the slide, the clamping rod is fixedly secured to the housing. To this end, the clamping rod is enlarged at 22 and the enlarged end of the rod is clamped between housing parts 16 and 17. As is apparent the clamping rod becomes functionally part of the housing and may be integral with the same. Due to the fixed mounting of the clamping rod, the depth of the receiver opening through which clamping head 11 can pass must not exceed the distance d between the edge 11' and the adjacent wall of housing part 17, or in other words the gauge of the part having the receiver opening cannot exceed the distance d.

The peripheral outlines of the clamping rod and the clamping head and the locking slide must be correlated to the dimensions of the receiver opening with which the coupler is designed to coact, more specifically the maximum peripheral outline of the clamping head proper must fit the peripheral outline of the receiver opening and the combined peripheral outline of the locking slide and the clamping rod at the level aa must also fit the receiver opening.

Turning now to the panel mount of Figs. 2 and 3, these figures show a panel 25 to be locked to two brackets 26 and 27. Each of these brackets has a receiver opening 28 and two couplers of the kind shown in Fig. 1 are secured to the panel in a position such that each clamping head and locking slide protrude from the panel side facing brackets 26 and 27 as can best be seen in Fig. 3. The couplers are fitted in suitable mounting holes in the panel and secured to the panel by fastening means shown as rivets 29 penetrating flanges 16' and 17.

Let it now be assumed that it is desired to lock panel 25 to its support brackets 26 and 27. To effect such locking of the panel all that is necessary is to place clamping heads 11 in alignment with receiver openings 28 and to press the panel against the brackets by exerting the required pressure to any point of the upper panel surface.

As a result, the clamping heads will penetrate into and through the receiver openings. Simultaneously the locking slides 12 are pushed back against the action of the springs relative to the clamping heads by engagement with the rim of the respective receiver opening. When the clamping head of a coupler has passed completely through the receiver openingthe thickness of the panel being such as to fit the fixed distance dspace becomes available in the receiver opening for the locking slide which is snapped by the action of the tensioned spring 20 into the receiver opening thereby locking the clamping head in a position in which its edge 11' overhanging the clamping rod underlies the rim of the receiver opening. The panel is now locked to the brackets, the strength of the locking action being determined by the shear strength of the overhanging portion of the clamping head and the tensile strength of the panel portion coacting with the overhang of the clamping head. As is evident, the aforedescribed locking action takes place automatically at each coupler provided for mounting a panel or other member upon a support.

In order to release a coupler, the slide 12 is withdrawn from the receiver opening by gripping knob 14 and pulling the same upwardly as seen in the figures.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which one or several connectors according to the invention are utilized to lock a swinging door, hatch cover or similar swinging member to a stationary frame or other counterpart by simply swinging the swinging member against the stationary member. Such possibility of rapidly and securely locking a swinging member to a stationary member is highly desirable in many fields of application, for example on an aircraft.

The figure shows a stationary panel 40 to which is hinged a swinging panel 41 such as a door, by suitable hinge means, shown as a piano-type hinge 42 riveted to the panels by rivets 43 and 44. The coupler is of the kind described in connection with Fig. l and the receiver opening 45 is provided in stationary panel 40. The clamping head and the slide of the coupler protrude through a mounting opening 46 in swinging panel 41. The coupler is secured to panel 41 and within the mounting opening by a flanged cover 47 secured to the panel by any suitable means shown as rivets 48.

As has been previously explained, the clamping rod and the clamping head and with it the housing move during the locking operation from the position in which the clamping head is in alignment with the receiver opening into a slightly laterally displaced position in which the overhang of the clamping head underlies the rim of the receiver opening when the locking slide follows the clamping head into the receiver opening. A similar lateral displacement of the clamping head and with it of the housing and the entire coupler, though in opposite direction, occurs during the release operation. Such zig-zag movement which is essential for the locking and the release operations does not present any difficulty in the arrangement of Figs. 2 and 3 in which the panel is laterally movable relative to the brackets prior to being locked to the brackets, provided all fasteners are mounted with the clamping heads turned in one direction. However, in the arrangement of Fig. 4, the swinging panel 41 is not laterally movable and hence the clamping rod and the clamping head could not perform the required zig-zag movement if the coupler would be rigidly fastened to panel 41 as are the couplers of Figs. 2 and 3 to the respective panel. To provide the necessary freedom of movement receiver opening 45, mounting opening 46 and a mounting opening 49 through cover plate 47 are dimensioned so as to provide clearance for the required lateral movement of the coupler in either direction and flange 16' of the coupler housing 15 is freely slidable between panel 41 and cover plate 47. The dotted lines indicate the limits of the lateral sliding motion of the coupler during the locking and the release operation respectively.

As is evident from the previous description, panel 41 when pushed against panel 40 will cause the locking slide to be pushed back relative to the clamping head thereby permitting penetration of the clamping head through receiver opening 45 and the subsequent entry of the locking slide. The swinging panel is released by pulling back knob 14 as has been explained in connection with the previous figures.

Panel 41 may be locked to panel 40 by any desired number of couplers which will all be simultaneously and automatically locked when panel 41 strikes panel 40'.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show an arrangement in which a connector according to the invention is utilized to fasten a movable member of pliable material to a support and in which it is necessary or desirable that the continuity of the pliable material is not interrupted by mounting holes for the coupler. As previously mentioned, such conditions are present for instance in the mounting of aircraft fuel cells or bladders to a support frame.v

In the figures, 50 designates the pliable wall of the fuel cell or bladder made of rubber, a rubber composition or a suitable plastic, and 51 designates the support frame in which the receiver opening 52 is provided. The side of 50 shown as the upper side in the figures, should be visualized as the inner side of the cell or bladder. A coupler as shown in Fig. 1 is fastened to the outside of wall 50 by means of a cover 53 made of rubber or other suitable material. Cover 53 may be secured directly to wall 50 or a washer 54 may be interposed to strengthen wall 50 at the point at which the coupler is mounted. The clamping member and the slide of the coupler protrude from cover 53 and release member 14 rests against the outside of wall 50 causing the wall to bulge inwardly 50' as is clearly shown in the figures.

In actual practice numerous couplers are used which manifest themselves as bumps or bulges when seen from the inside of the cell or bladder, but do not interrupt the continuity of the wall material.

Let it now be assumed that it is desired to fasten a cell or bladder to support frame 51. For this purpose, the operator reaches through the filler neck or opening of the cell and presses upon the wall material approximately at the points and in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 5 shows the stage of the locking operation in which the clamping head is just penetrating the receiver opening and the slide is partially pushed back.

Fig. 6 shows the completed locking operation which is evident from the previous description. Clamping head 11 now occupies a position underlying the rim of the receiver opening and the locking slide 12 occupies a position within the receiver opening alongside the clamping head. As the slide is in its most forward position relative to the clamping head, release knob 14 is pulled deeper into the housing thereby slackening the bulge caused in wall 50 by the housing and the release knob as indicated in Fig. 6.

When it is now desired to release the couplers, the operator reaches again into the cell or bladder and grips release knob 14 by squeezing the pliable wall material over knob 14 and toward stem 13 and then pulls back the release knob thereby withdrawing the locking slide from the receiver opening. The angular arrows of Fig. 7 indicate the direction of the movements to be performed by the operator for the purpose of releasing the coupler. The figure shows the slide in the position just leaving the receiver opening.

Due to the aforementioned bumps or bulges in wall 50, the operator has no diificulty in spotting the location of the release knobs, the pliability of the wall material permitting a convenient gripping of the release knobs through the wall material.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain preferred examples and embodiments of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without depart ing from the spirit and scope of-the invention and it is intended therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A coupler for a self-locking connector of the kind having a coupler coacting with a receiver opening in a receiver, said coupler comprising a, clamping rod having on one end a one-sidedly overhanging clamping head fitting said receiver opening, and an enlarged portion on its other end, a locking slide disposed alongside the clamping head on the side thereof opposite said overhang, a two-part generally cylindrical housing, said housing having an opening in each of its end walls, said enlarged portion of the clamping rod being clamped between the parts of the housing to fix the clamping rod within thehousing with the clamping head protruding through the housing opening in one end wall and said locking slide being slidably guided within the housing protruding therefrom alongside the clamping head, spring means within the housing biasing the slide toward the clamping head, limit means within the housing limiting displacement of the slide in said direction, and release means extending into the housing through the housing opening in the other end wall and secured to the locking slide for withdrawing the latter relative to the housing and the clamping head against the action of said spring means.

2. A coupler according to claim 1, wherein said loching slide has an elongated extension protruding through the respective opening of the housing substantially in alignment with the locking slide for axially displacing the latter within the housing relative to the clamping head, said extension constituting the release means.

3. A coupler according to claim 1, wherein each of said housing parts is generally cup-shaped and outwardly flanged, the flanges of the two parts abutting against each other.

4. A locking assembly comprising a stationary member, a swinging member hinged to the stationary member for movement into and out of a position substantially parallel thereto, a connector coupler mounted on one of said members and a connector receiver including a receiver opening provided on the other of said members, said coupler comprising a clamping rod having on one end a one-sidedly overhanging clamping head being receivable in said receiver opening, a locking slide disposed alongside the clamping head on the side thereof opposite said overhang, the combined peripheral outline of the slide and the clamping rod just below the clamping head also being receivable in the receiver opening, a housing for the clamping head and the locking slide, said rod being fixedly secured to the housing with the clamping head protruding therefrom and said slide being mounted axially slidable within the housing but protruding therefrom alongside the clamping head for an axial displacement of the slide relative to the housing and the clamping head, and a release means for withdrawing the slide relative to the housing and the clamping head, said housing being secured on one of said members in a position such that said clamping head and said slide protrude from the side of the respective member facing the other member and said release means being accessible from the opposite side of the member mounting the housing whereby by pressing the swinging member against the stationary member the two members are locked to each other in said parallel position and by withdrawing the release member the two members are released from each other.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 and further comprising a sliding mount mounting the coupler on the respective member so as to provide alimited lateral displacement of the coupler relative to the receiver opening in the other member.

6. A fastener assembly for detachably fastening a pliable wall member to a stationary support member, comprising, in combination, a connector receiver including a receiver opening in the support member and a connector coupling coacting with said receiver mounted on the pliable wall member, said coupler comprising a clamping rod having on one end a one-sidedly overhanging clamping head being receivable in said receiver opening, a locking slide disposed alongside the clamping head on the side thereof opposite said overhang, the combined peripheral outline of the slide and the clamping head just below the clamping head also being receivable in the receiver opening, a housing for the clamping head and the locking slide, said rod being fixedly secured to the housing with the clamping head protruding therefrom and said slide being mounted axially slidable within the housing but protruding therefrom alongside the clamping head for axial displacement of the slide relative to the clamping head, and release means for withdrawing the slide relative to the housing and the clamping head, said housing being fixedly secured upon the side of said pliable wall memr 8 ber facing said receiver opening in a position such that said release means abuts against the pliable Wall member and the slide and the clamping head protrudes from the said side of the wall member forengagement with the receiver opening.

7. A fastener assembly according to claim 6, wherein said release means comprises a terminal member protruding from the housing on the side thereof opposite to the slide and the clamping head for actuating the release means through the material of the wall member from the side of the wall member opposite to the side mounting the housing by gripping and withdrawing said terminal member.

8. A fastener assembly according to claim 6, wherein saidhousing is secured to the respective side of the wall member by a cover-member overlying the housing portion and attached to the surface of the wall member.

References Cited in the file of this patent 279,720 Switzerland Mar. 17, 1952 

